If you’re looking for a fully funded route to study in Hungary, the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship is the program most African applicants mean when they say it. It covers tuition, a monthly stipend, and accommodation support across roughly 900 degree programs, taught in English at Hungarian public and private universities. Compared to scholarships that only cover part of your costs, Stipendium Hungaricum is genuinely comprehensive, which is why it draws thousands of applications from across Africa every year despite a competitive selection process.
Hungary is a smaller, budget-friendly EU study destination with a low cost of living compared to Western Europe, and the scholarship makes it realistic even for applicants with limited family funding. Last verified: August 2026.
What the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship covers
Successful applicants get tuition-free study at their host university, plus a monthly stipend of roughly HUF 43,700 (about €110) for bachelor’s and master’s students, rising to HUF 140,000-180,000 (about €355-460) for doctoral candidates. You also get either a free dormitory place or a housing contribution of about HUF 40,000 (around €100) a month if no dormitory space is available.
Health insurance is included too, with supplementary coverage up to about €165 a year. Rank Math’s own advice for readers applies here as much as anywhere: the stipend is described officially as “a contribution to living expenses,” not full coverage, so budget some savings or family support for the gap. The scholarship is renewed each academic year as long as you meet your university’s academic progress requirements, so keeping your grades on track matters for keeping the funding, not just for winning it initially.
Who can apply and what it costs without the scholarship
Stipendium Hungaricum covers bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, doctoral, and non-degree programs, so it suits applicants at nearly any stage. If you’d rather self-fund or don’t win the scholarship, tuition for non-EU students at Hungarian universities generally runs €1,200 to €5,000 a year for most subjects, though medicine and dentistry run much higher, from roughly €12,000 to €16,000 a year. Selection weighs your academic record, the strength of your motivation letter, and in some cases an interview or entrance exam set by your chosen university, so a strong application takes real preparation time rather than a last-minute submission. If you want to study in Hungary without the scholarship, admission requirements are generally similar but funding is entirely on you.
Living costs are modest by European standards: budget around €375 to €700 a month depending on the city and your accommodation choice, with Budapest at the higher end and smaller university towns noticeably cheaper. Groceries, local transport, and phone or internet plans are noticeably cheaper than in Germany or the Netherlands, which is part of why Hungary appeals to students weighing total cost of a degree rather than tuition alone. For many African families, that lower cost of living is the deciding factor in choosing to study in Hungary over a pricier Western European destination.
How to apply for Stipendium Hungaricum
Applications go through the online portal at Stipendium Hungaricum’s official site, where you register, pick your programs through the Study Finder, and upload documents including a valid passport, a medical certificate confirming you’re fit to study, and language or school certificates. The application window typically opens in the autumn and closes in mid-January for the following academic year, so check the exact current-year date on the official portal well in advance rather than relying on a date you saw elsewhere. Anyone planning to study in Hungary should start gathering documents at least two months before the deadline.
Popular fields for scholarship holders include medicine, engineering, agricultural sciences, and business, spread across universities in Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged, and Pecs. Each partner university sets its own admission requirements on top of the scholarships general rules, so check your target programs specific entry requirements on the Study Finder before you apply, since language test scores, portfolios, or entrance exams vary by field.
Where to go next
Once your Stipendium Hungaricum application is in, compare Hungary against other affordable options on Study Destinations, check Scholarships & Funding for backup options if you’re not selected, and review Visa & Relocation for the general document checklist that applies once you have an offer.